


Men Go To War in Search of Something

by WarriorQean



Category: Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Kong: Skull Island (2017) RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, F/M, Friendship, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23317276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorQean/pseuds/WarriorQean
Summary: Kong: Skull Island but with one minor tweak: Mason and James had a relationship before coming to the island. Now they must try to work together to stay alive. Will they rekindle their relationship or will Mason find a new love?
Relationships: James Conrad & Mason Weaver, James Conrad/Mason Weaver, Mason Weaver & Reg Slivko, Mason Weaver/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

Somewhere Over the South Pacific Ocean, 1944

A plane crashes on a beach. The pilot lands a moment later, untangling himself from his parachute. A second plane crashes along with another pilot. He is revealed to be Japanese.

The American shoots three time at the Japanese man. He runs out of bullets and starts to run across the beach. The Japanese man chases him and the race through a jungle, eventually coming to a cliff. There is a fight that leaves the American on his back with a knife millimeters from his throat.

Before the Japanese can finish the American a huge hand comes up on either side of the two. They both look at the cliff and a giant ape peers down at them. The Japanese man drops the knife, and the two men simply stare at the ape. 

Washington DC, 1973

It was a clear day in Washington DC, yet it was far from peaceful.

Protesters were calling for the end of the Vietnam war, and the police were barely keeping people from storming Capitol Hill. A taxi pulled up in front of the protesters and two men got out, one African american, one white. The white man turned to his colleague as they climbed the steps up to the building.

"Mark my words," he said, "There will never be a more screwed up time in Washington. But we can't let it stop us."

The two men proceeded up the steps, each of them was carrying a briefcase with the word "MONARCH" on it and a symbol beneath it. They entered the building and headed through a packed hallway. Everyone was in a frenzy over the Vietnam issue. 

"Maybe now's not the best time to ask," the African American man said to his partner as they made their way through the halls.

The other man answered without skipping a beat, "Monarch is on the cusp of being shut down Brooks, we're broke. Once this war ends we'll never be able to get approval for our expedition."

They made their way into a room that was just as busy as the hallway, heading towards a desk.

Brooks looked at the other man, an urgent tone in his voice, "I'm not confident in our presentation. I mean, all our materials are on loose leaf," the white man continued to walk forward, ignoring Brooks until he jumped in front of him. "In one day, one day, I could have had all of this organized and bound." 

Both men turned and looked at the TV in the corner of the room. Where President Nixon was giving an address, "...We have concluded in agreement to end the war and bring peace with honor in Vietnam."

The white man's face slowly changed as the realization of what the president was saying sunk in. He turned to Brooks with a grim look on his face.

"We don't have a day."

The two men walked up to the secretaries desk. 

"Hello there, Bill Randa to see Senator Willis." The secretary looked up at him with a fake smile and over the top cheerfulness. The stress in her expression was evident.

"Of course Mr. Randa. I left you a message this morning about rescheduling today's appointment. But he should have something available in the coming week-s." She drew out the "s" extra long and Randa rolled his eyes. Brooks just looked over his shoulder with a look that communicated both amusement and non suprisal.

At that moment the senator comes out of his office behind a leaving man. Neither looked very happy and his face only fell more when he saw Randa. He muttered something that sounded like an "oh god" under his breath.

"Well," Randa said, going in for a handshake, "You're looking well."

Willis accepted the hand, "So you didn't get the message Randa. To reschedule." It was said as a statement, not a question.

He raised his eyebrows, "For the fifth time, I must'a missed it. It'll be quick."

Sighing, Willis led them into his office and while both men took a seat he stood with a briefcase, "Alright don't get comfortable you got five minutes, I'm late for a meeting. So. What kind of imaginary monster are you hunting this time?" 

Brooks pulled a satellite photo out of his briefcase while Randa began talking, "This is a satellite photo of an uncharted island in the south Pacific, it has defied discovery," he paused for effect, "Until now. Many civilizations spoke of it in legends. Skull Island. The land where god did not finish creation. It's notorious for the number of ships and planes that have gone missing there."

Willis looked at them, "Like the Bermuda triangle. Or that aluminum foil hat that I like to wear on the weekends." His tone implied that he obviously was not buying what they were saying. Randa closed his eyes for a moment in frustration.

"It's more the triangle than the hat but we like to think it's much more than that. The 1954 Castle Bravo nuclear tests weren't tests. They were trying to kill something. I believe there's an entire ecosystem out there to the likes of which we can't imagine. And the place to find it. Is this island. A place where myth and science meet."

Willis sighed, "Randa. It's a fairy tale." He picked up his briefcase and exited the office in a rush. Randa and Brooks looked at each other and chased after him.

"Harry Truman didn't think so when he funded Monarch in 1946." Randa called as he caught up to Willis and he stopped, turning to look at the two men.

"Ya know. In terms of sheer waste, Monarch ranks right up there with the search for alien life."

Randa sneered, "Yeah but those guys are nuts."

Willis pursed his lips and continued into the hallway, walking faster to try and loose the two men, "We should have shut you down years ago."

"This is an opportunity for our country," Randa argued frustrated, Brooks cut across him and in front of Willis.

"Listen, Senator, Landsat is sending a mission to the island. We could piggy-back on that operation - with your permission of course."

"What are you hoping to find?"

"Resources, medicine, cure for cancer, geological discoveries, I mean..possible alternate fuels. Senator, to be honest, we don't know what's there. Ok, what we do know is that tomorrow night the Russian NOVSAT passes over this sector and in three days they're gonna have the same images we do. So whatever's there, you want us to find it first. Right?"

The Senator seemed to be arguing with himself for a moment and then turned to look at Brooks, "I don't believe I'm saying this, but that..almost makes sense. So, I will get the piggy-back for you but pl-," he turned and looked at Randa, "Listen to me, listen to me, this is it. It's gotta end. This is it. You promise me?" Randa nodded at him, relief evident on his face, "Last favor, okay?"

Willis turned to walk away, but Randa called after him, "Oh senator. One last thing. We're going to need a military escort.

Vietnam, Da Nang Air Base

"Pack your bags ladies," the announcement said, "We're going home."

"Hey Mills," a soldier said, "How many letters you write her?"

Mills thought got a moment before answering, "I don't know. Ten, fifteen."

The other men grinned. "And how many she write you?"

"Like three."

Carl looked up from his book, "Man you got a shitty mom."

The rest of the group laughed and Mill's just sat there, nodding as if he expected it, "Thanks for clearing that up. I'll be sure to tell her that when I see her."

\--------------

An African American kernel sat down in his office, putting his feet up on the table behind his desk and lifting a beer to his lips. As he took a sip another soldier walked into the nearly empty room.

"Sir."

"Chaplin," the kernel answered.

"Need anything sir?" Chaplin asked with a concerned look on his face.

The kernel shook his head, "All good."

"Rodger that."

Chaplin started to exit the room, then stopped when the kernel spoke, "What are you gonna do when you get back to the world son?"

"Oh I'm already set up with, uh, Eastern airlines. Grace and Billy are all moved into Atlanta just, waiting on me." He smiled.

The kernel took out a box filled with a dozen or so military medals, hiding it just out of Chaplin's line of sight. "All this and for what?" He muttered.

"Sir?"

"Nothing Chaplin. Go have some fun."

Chaplin nodded, "Everything ok?"

The kernel nodded, "Tip top."

\---------------

A group of laughing soldiers walked through the pouring rain to the truck waiting to take them home. The kernel walked behind them, but stopped as his name was called.

"Kernel Packard!" He turned, "There's a phone call for ya."

Packard walked to the makeshift phone booth and picked up the receiver to his ear, "This is Packard."

"Packard, General Ward. You and your boys up for one last opt?"

"I would not be apposed to that sir."

"Your orders to go home are already processed, sure you don't want to take some time?"

"I'm here to execute whatever orders I'm given sir."

"Eh don't get to excited. There's a scientist that discovered a new island on their 'satellite'. They need helicopter transport for a surveying job."

"Roger that. Oh and sir?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." Packard hung up the phone with a smile and headed back into the rain.

Saigon, District - Quan Nam

It was raining as Brooks and Randa made their way through the streets to a rundown bar.

"Randa I don't get it. if you already got us a military escort, why do we need a tracker? And why SAS?"

"Formaer SAS, no allegiance to anyone. And he rescued twelve "Nom" pilots at the Nang in '72."

They continued through the street, Brooks still worried though, pressed on, "But your source says that he spends most of his waking hours in some back alley watering hole!"

"Is your Yale degree supposed to lead us through the jungle Brooks? Besides, my father told me never to judge a man on where he drinks, only how he holds it. You on board with me here?"

They pulled down their umbrellas and entered a dark bar. Most of the people in it were Vietnamese. Prostitutes and strippers were everywhere, along with some men smoking what looked like pot in a corner. 

"Well, okay. So..uh..how much do we tell him?" he was obviously uncomfortable.

Randa however was not. "Just enough to get him to say yes."

A pool table was in the middle of the bar, where a scruffy looking man shot in a ball and went to grab the pile of bills on the table. Another man, speaking an indistinct language, began yelling at him angrily. The white man looked on with fire in his eyes. Another man came up behind him with a switchblade out. The pool player hit each of his attackers with his pool stick and dodged a pool ball thrown at him. The second ball that was thrown at him he hit back to the man who had thrown it at him. It him full in the face and he went down hard. 

Brooks let out a long breath of air, and looked impressed. Randa turned to him, "Now there's a man worth talking to."

They approached the man (who's name they already knew to be James Conrad) and sat down at his table, buying him a drink. He only spoke after Brooks had explained everything and placed a small stack of bills on the table.

"An uncharted island," he took a breath, "Let me list all the ways you're gonna die. Rain, heat, mud, disease carrying flies and mosquitoes. Sure you could load up on the outer Breen for the Malaria. But what about the other bacteria? And we haven't even started on the things that want to eat you alive." He looked at the two men in front of him, his arms crossed. Randa retorted immediately. 

"We'll double that."

" You have no idea how dangerous this is." He stared them down, "I want five times that. Plus a bonus if we make it back."

"'If?'" Brooks asked. Conrad looked at him and he turned to Randa, "Pay him." Randa glanced at him, "I mean...I think Mr. Conrad should be fairly compensated."

Randa raised his glass, "Here's to profit during peace time."

"One question," Conrad said, "You came here looking for a tracker. Who, or what, am I tracking?"

"This is all the information that we have," Brooks told him, "Ok there is no map. Only satellite images. So we need someone like you, with your skill, and unique expertise in uncharted jungle terrain to lead us on our ground expedition."

"We're just scholars and scientists," Randa added, "We need someone with experience. In case things go sideways." He paused, "Men go to war in search of something Mr. Conrad. If you'd found it, you'd be home by now." He took a long sip of his drink.

At those words Conrad's mind flashed to a woman with red blond hair and grey eyes. He pushed the image out of his mind the next second though, and continued discussing things with the scientists. 

He never did take a sip of his drink.

\-------------------

Mason Weaver was working in her darkroom when the phone rang. She hurried to pick it up and continued working even as she was talking.

"Weaver."

"Yeah its Jerry."

"Hey Jerry. Tell me did I get it?"

"That Landsat thing? You got it."

Mason grinned with excitement, "I did?!"

"Yeah, its the Athens, docked in Bangkok, pier 14, six 'o clock tomorrow night," As he was telling her the location, Mason wrote it down on the back of her hand with a pen.

She smiled again, "1800 tomorrow, thank you I really owe you one."

"I don't get it, why do want a gig documenting a mapping mission when you're up for the cover of TIME?"

"Jerry when three sources tell you the same thing word for word you know they're lying. There's something going on here. Something that nobody is talking about."

"Alright," he said, "Got to go."

"Seeya Jerry."

"Yeah." And with that he hung up.

Later that night Mason packed her bag. She took a second change of clothes, extra film and parts for her camera, some bracelets, and her grandmother's ring, which she never went anywhere without. Just as she was zipping up her bag a plain ring dangling from a chain in the back of her closet caught her eye. The chain was silver while the ring was gold and wavy. A tiny pattern of stripes and dots decorated its sides. He had bought it for her. She remembered it like yesterday.

"You never buy me anything." Mason smiled as his hand stroked her hair and he looked at her with that soft expression he never wore outside of the time they spent together. They were lying in the bed of some cheap motel they had been staying in for the past few days, but she had never felt more like royalty in his arms.

"Well I'd thought you'd like it," she tried to slide the ring on her pointer finger but wouldn't fit. he sighed, "And that I never buy you anything shows, seeing as I don't even know what size you are."

Mason just laughed a breezy laugh, "I don't care, I'll make it into a necklace or something."

They smiled at each other and she kissed him tenderly. In a second they were moving together in a tangled heap, and they didn't stop until sunlight peaked through the blinds.

Mason shook herself out of the memory and after some mental debate slipped the now necklace around her neck, dropping it underneath her shirt. It was alright for her to bring the small trinket she told herself. She was over it completely.

Right?


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've made up my mind that whenever it's from Mason's perspective I will be calling Conrad James because that's how Mason refers to him in her head. Anytime else and he will be Conrad.

Bangkok, Thailand

"I can't believe this," Mills said, climbing out of the back of a truck with some other soldiers, "One day, one day away. But no, now we have to go to another island with another jungle."

Carl just looked at him, "Vietnam's not an island dumb ass."

"Well Key West is," Mills retorted, "And that's exactly where I need to be right now, with a drink in my hand."

"Key West ain't an island either, it's a key."

Mills stopped walking and looked at his friend, "You ain't funny Carl."

\-----------

Mason walked on the pier and up to a man wearing a blue science thing and holding a clipboard, "Mason Weaver, photographer."

He looked at her, "Mason Weaver is..a woman."

She glared at him, "Last time I checked."

She continued walking up to the ships platform and came to kernel Packard.

"Can I help you?" he asked her. Mason simply handed him her papers, "Two years in country," He read off, "Where you been?"

"Embedded with Mog ve Sog."

"Ah, you into shit. I respect that. You know there's people like you who lost us support back home."

Mason snorted, "You're not actually gonna blame the people without guns for loosing the war are you?"

"Camera's way more dangerous than a gun," he told her, dead serious, "And we didn't loose the war, we abandoned it."

Mason just took her papers and gave him a weird look, "Right."

Aboard The Athena

Mason put her bag in the assigned quarters she had and then headed down into the main room of the ship where the entire crew was meeting. The scientists sat on one side, all in blue jackets, while the soldiers sat on the other. mason settled on leaning against a wall on the soldiers side. A man with a toothy grin and messy blond hair looked up at her and flashed her a smile. She only rolled her eyes. 

"Hello and welcome," a man in a suit was up in the front of the room, working a projector, "I'm Landsat field supervisor Victor Nieves. This is my colleague Steve Woodword, our data wrangler," he gestured to the man who had asked if Mason Weaver was a woman. "Our expedition takes us to a place where every nautical trade route known to man has avoided for centuries. Our satellites show that the island is surrounded by a perpetual storm system, allowing it to remain hidden from the outside world. But with Kernel Packard's helicopter transport, we will be the first to break through to the other side. We are pleased to be joined for the first time by the resource exploration team. Led by Mr. Randa and accompanied by biologist Miss San, and Mr. Brooks. Our focus will be on the island's surface, there's on what lies below. Mr. Brooks."

Brooks walked up to the front of the room while talking, "It's simple really, we'll use explosives to shake the earth and create vibrations, helping us to map the sub surface of the island. We'll be flying over the south shore and then strategically drop the seismic charges to help us better understand the density of the earth."

"You're dropping bombs."

The room seemed to freeze.

Mason would recognize that voice anywhere, even in death. It was deep with a slight hint of an accent. Sweet and suttle, yet could be the most terrifying on the planet. She couldn't see the front of him, only his back, but she wondered how she hadn't picked him out before. Mason could have recognized him if he had jet black hair to his shoulders and was wearing ill-fitting clothing and a horned headpiece. Mason shook herself from her haze and continued to listen. 

"Scientific instruments," Brooks reassured him.

"Hear that boys," one of the soldiers yelled, he looked to be about fifteen, though Mason knew that wasn't possible, "We're scientists now!" A large laugh went through the group.

"You guys are not scientists," Woodword said, Mason decided that he had a stick the size of Vietnam up his ass.

"We'll then land and make base camp for ground excursions led by Mr. Conrad, "Nieves continued, "Major Jack Chaplin."

"Alright," Chaplin started, getting up from his seat and making his way to the front of the room, "Once we're on the island, the storms interference will block all radio contact with the ship. So that means we'll be on our own. Three days later, the refuel team will meet us here on the North end of the island. That could be our only safe departure window for an unknown period of time. So a little tip for everyone, don't miss it. Please."

\------------------

Conrad carefully made his way through the people on the deck of the ship preparing for the next day. He entered a hold, knowing that was where they were keeping the explosives. He held up his lighter to one of the boxes, trying to read it better. Before he could however, the door squeaked open and he dived behind one of boxes. He wasn't dumb enough to know that he shouldn't be in there. A man's boots passed by his hiding place, obviously a soldiers. 

"What are you doing down here?" The soldiers voice was sorta high and sounded that the owner was in their mid twenties or so.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Conrad's heart stopped.

The last time he had heard that voice he was half drunk and she was screaming at him while lugging a packed bag out the door of a ratty flat. He had tried to go after her, but hadn't even made it out the door before falling over and clunking his head, passing out until the next morning. But even if she was screaming at him Conrad had relished that voice. He had loved it, and he had loved the owner.

"Why does a geological mapping mission need explosives?" She continued. 

"You were obviously zoned out. They need seismic charges for the geological surveying."

"Uh huh," Mason said, "And you believe that."

"Well that's unfair, I didn't say that," They had walked enough that Conrad could get a better view of the man she was talking to. He had bleach blond hair and a horrendous mouth full of teeth. He didn't seem to be in the best shape, leading Conrad to believe he was older.

"Have you met kernel Packard yet?" The man nodded, "Guy's wound pretty tight." God he had missed that tone.

"He's a good guy though, keeps his cool in tough situations. What about you, how'd a nice lady like yourself get dragged into a place like this?"

" I wanted to," Mason sounded defensive, "Besides, the right photo can help shape opinions."

"You're the photographer?" God this guy was dumb.

"Mason Weaver."

"Gary Gueye."

From that day on Conrad hated the name Gary.

\--------------

The soldiers messed around on the deck of the ships. Carl got a haircut while the others posed like little kids for Mason. Slipko stuck to her like glue and the two ended up talking for a while. Mason thought he looked like her brother. 

Mills peered over Chaplin's shoulder, "What ya got there chap?"

"Letter to my boy."

Mills read off in a lofty voice, "Dear Billy, I know I said I'd be home by your birthday but I lied straight to your face, I'm a terrible dad. I hope this letter makes up for it."

The two started laughing uncontrollably. Chaplin shook his head, "It's to short."

Conrad leaned on the railing of the balcony off of the steering area of the ship. He was watching Mason. How she laughed so easily while interacting with the soldiers. The youngest soldier (Slipko) seemed to like Mason. They spent the better part of an hour talking before Gary came over the talked to her. He could see that Mason was irritated at first, but she laughed once or twice at whatever he was saying, which only made him more annoyed at the soldier then he already was.

\---------------

"This storm looks a lot nastier in person," Nieves told the men gathered around the table, "Maybe we should consider post-poning the mission."

Packard looked up to the captain, "How far away is this island?"

"Fifty miles," the captain told him, "Maybe more."

"Take us closer," Randa ordered.

"You wanna launch you do it from here," The captain said pointing at the map.

"Can you punch through that kernel?" Randa asked Packard, "Our opening is now."

"Through this hole right here?"

"Yeah its a rare low pressure pocket." Chaplin looked out into the storm along with Packard.

"I appreciate your passion Randa," Nieves said, "But as field supervisor I'm going to say we abort. That's it we're going to abort."

"Wise call," Randa fired back sarcastically, "I'm sure the Landsat inspector will be inspired by your courage."

"No he'll be inspired by my common sense. This is only a map survey."

Randa was obviously pissed, "To one of the last uncharted areas on the face of the earth! And you want to call it on account of rain? Stay on the boat if you want to. It could be years before we get another shot like this." He looked at Packard, "I'm told your unit is capable of handling inclement weather kernel." He looked back to Nieves, "Why don't we leave it to kernel Packard to break the tye?"

"There is no way I am getting on that helicopter."

\----------------

Nieves stood with a briefcase in his hands, staring at a helicopter. He sighed and climbed in.

Randa and Brooks walked down the deck to their own helicopters, Brooks spoke to Randa, "We did ask to arm those helicopters. Shouldn't they know why?"

"Why?" Randa asked with a joking voice, "So they can raise an alarm?" He clapped the younger man on the shoulder, "Purely a precaution Brooks."

Brooks looked unsure as Randa walked away. "Right," he muttered, boarding his helicopter along with Woodword and Miss San.

Randa boarded his own helicopter, piloted by Carl and Mills. Mills watched Packard, Chaplin, and some other soldiers walk down the deck with a worried look. He turned to Carl, "What's the steel man getting us into Carl?"

"Nothing he wouldn't do himself," Carl answered, switching some buttons, "He's taking the lead."

"I mean don't he miss his bed? I miss my bed! Don't you miss your bed?" Carl just kept prepping the helicopter, "Do you even have a bed Carl? You got a bed. Right?" The older man only smirked.

\--------------

Mason snapped a picture of the oncoming storm with a thoughtful gaze, then turned to board her helicopter.

She was face to face with James.

They looked at each other for a minute. Both trying to figure out if the other had seen them yet. Mason thought he looked good, but he was obviously worried. Playing with his hands and dressed in dark clothing she would have been lying if she'd said the sight of him didn't awaken some feelings she had burrowed down in her chest.

Trying to act nonchalant she just made a small, Move over, kind of motion. He seemed to have got the message and picked up his bag, sliding down to the other side of the helicopter as quickly as possible and to the farthest seat. 

Mason took a deep breath and climbed in, she didn't fail to notice that he had started playing with his hair. She smiled a bit at that.

"Hey Mason," she looked up and saw that their pilot was Slipko. She smiled more. 

"Hey Slipko," they fist bumped, "Try not to get us killed okay?"

He just nodded and went back to checking the controls.

The helicopters started to rise in the air in combat formation. Mason raised her camera and snapped a picture of the storm, getting a bit of the helicopter in the side of the shot. She didn't notice Conrad watching her from the other side of the helicopter.

The winds started to pick up, rattling the helicopter and blowing Mason's hair over her face. She reached up and gripped one of the handholds attached to the roof of the helicopter, making sure that her camera was properly secured around her neck.

They flew into the storm.

It was dark with the exception of the lightning that flashed every second or so. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see that James had grabbed her shoulder. Their eyes met and he withdrew his hand, looking like he wanted to say something. The helicopter swayed more violently in that moment, and they were both thrown around. Mason nearly fell out.

"You good?!" She heard someone shout, and realized that James had been watching her, she nodded and the helicopter jerked again.

And suddenly they were out.

The sun beat down on mountains, rivers, and greenery. It was truly unlike Mason had ever seen in her life. She automatically began snapping pictures. Slipko looked back at her once and laughed, she smiled back at him. She looked to her side and saw that James was looking out in awe. It had been awhile since she had seen him smile and it made her smile only grow.

The helicopters got lower, so that they had to weave through the mountains. Mason laughed and let out a whoop, bringing up her camera to photograph some birds. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James looking at her again as she adjusted the lens.

Someone in a different helicopter turned on some music and Mason found herself nodding along to the song. The surveying team was set down in a field while the other helicopters split up. The bombs started to drop not long after that. Mason still wasn't sure whenever dropping bombs was a good idea or not. For one they had no idea what kind of threats were on the island. But she ignored the nagging voice in her head that told her to stop them and continued taking pictures.

And then a tree went through a helicopter.


	3. Part 3

Mason just stared at the sight in front of her. There was a monkey, or a gorilla or something.

But it wasn't a normal monkey.

It was huge, bigger than a building, maybe taller. The helicopters remained in combat formation, flying closer and closer to the...thing. They started to circle it and Mason snapped out of her haze.

"What are you doing!?" She yelled to Slipko. He didn't respond.

And they started to fire. Mason knew right away that that was a bad idea. Fire at the thing that just literally tore a helicopter out of the sky. Real smart. 

The thing took down another helicopter with one punch of it's fist. At some point she had ended up moving to the center of the helicopter, and she realized James had done the same. He started yelling at Slipko.

"Pull out now! Pull out!!" He was still close to Mason, but she was freaking out to much to relish it.

"I don't take orders from you," Slipko told him, sounding mad. 

They continued to fire and she heard James curse in a multitude of languages. And it wasn't under his breath either. At least four more helicopters went down, and then Slipko seemed to have a change of heart.

"Hang on!" He told them, right before a soldier came flying through the air, hitting the windshield of the helicopter and bouncing off over the top. His body must have interfered with the blades because suddenly red lights were flashing and an alarm was going off. The helicopter started to spin and Slipko yelled again, "Prepare to crash!"

They stopped spinning and just started to free fall after that. Mason threw her hands up to protect her head and felt herself get pulled roughly against something. Then the helicopter went down.

\----------------

When Mason opened her eyes she found herself against the front of the helicopter, wedged behind a seat. They seemed to have crashed nose first. Mason tried to move and froze.

She was wrapped in James's arms. 

He seemed to have pulled her against his chest and thrown his arms around her spine. It was an awkward position to say the least. 

As if reading her mind James's eyes snapped open at that moment and darted around, eventually meeting hers. They both began to untangle themselves at the same time. James got out first, and then extended his hand. Hesitant, Mason took it. He pulled her up to hard though and they stood up face to face, much closer than Mason was comfortable with. Their noses were almost touching, and Mason saw his eyes flit down once to his lips. She felt herself moving closer for just a millisecond, and then the haze was broken.

"You guys good?" 

They jumped apart faster than Mason would have thought possible. They both turned and she saw Slipko standing there. He looked between the two of them and just kinda gave Mason a look. She walked away clearing her throat. Slipko smirked.

"We're alright," she heard James say.

Mason pried her bag from where it was in the helicopter and checked her camera for any damage. She looked up and saw James walking back from where he had been looking for something through the binoculars. Gary was trying to contact the other helicopters with something he had pulled from the wreck.

"Calling all units, is anybody airborne? I repeat, is anybody airborne?"

"They're all down," James told the group, a bit out of breath, "Every one of them. There's a river a couple of clicks from here. If we stick to it's banks we'll make it to the extract site on the North shore." He began walking towards Mason but turned around when Nieves spoke.

"And then what?" Nieves asked, "All our choppers are down."

"We'll find a way to signal the ship," James told him, "They'll send a search party. We just have to make it by the exit window."

"I should be sitting at a desk," Nieves muttered. Mason rolled her eyes.

"So wait are we just not going to talk about this?!" Slipko asked in a semi panicked voice. Gary handed him the transmitter to carry.

James elected to ignore him and turned to talk to Mason, "My best guess is that we're scattered over a forty five Mile radius. We should head north and join anyone we find." His voice softened a bit, "Are you alright?"

Mason decided to be honest, "I don't know how to answer that question right now."

"I don't know what that was either."

Gary must have been listening because he cut in, "All that money you got paid Captain, I hope that you're worth it." Then he took Mason's arm and pulled her away.

Slipko was still freaking out, "So we're really not gonna talk about it! You know this is not normal right?! Stuff like that doesn't just happen!"

Mason patted his arm once and they began to walk towards the river.

\------------------

Mills was helping carry ammunition and weapons when he saw Carl sitting on a tree and eating.

"Carl what's wrong with you? How you even got an appetite right now?"

Carl shrugged, "Eating's for the living."

Mills was shocked, "We just got taken down by a monkey the size of a building!"

Carl just nodded, "Yeah. That was an unconventional encounter."

Mills stared, "Is that all your brain is telling yourself right now?!"

Carl shrugged, "There's no tactical precidents we did the best we could in the situation."

Just then Packard and another soldier walked on to the beach with smiles on there faces. The group embraced.

"Thank God you guys are ok," Packard said, "How many?"

Mills looked grim, "Seven survivors, seven confirmed KIA. But that's just from our site. Slipko and the rest are unknown." He held up a fistful of dog tags, and Packard took them.

"Where's Randa."

\----------------

Packard walked over to where Randa was sitting, just finishing wrapping up his hand. Packard sat down across from him.

"How you doing?"

"I'm fine," Randa told him a bot gruffly.

"Good to hear, I was worried about ya." He pulled a gun and pointed it at Randa, "You, are going to tell me everything I don't know. Or I'm gonna blow your head off."

Randa looked up at him, "Monsters exist."

"No shit."

"Nobody believed me. Yesterday I was a crackpot, but today?"

"So this, was never about geology." Packard stated, "You dropped those charges to flush something out. Who are you?"

"You heard of the USS Lauten?" Packard shook his head, "Neither did the public. Out of a thousand young men on that ship I was the only survivor. They told my family she was sunk in battle but I know what I saw. It had no concise. No reasoning. Just destroy. I spent the last thirty years trying to prove the truth of what I learned that day. This planet doesn't belong to us. Ancient species owned this Earth long before mankind and if we keep our heads buried in the sand they will take it back. My agency is known as MONARCH, we specialize in the hunt for massive unidentified terrestrial organisms."

"You knew that thing was out here?!!"

"I'm sorry for your men kernel, I truly am. Get us home, with proof, so we can send the Calvary."

Packard stood up and lowered his gun, walking away he called over his shoulder, "I am the Calvary."

\-------------------

Eventually Mason's small group reached the surviving scientists. They armed themselves and started to walk through the jungle together.

"It's called the hollow Earth theory," Brooks told them, "Randa hired me, because I wrote a paper. Substantiating what most people think is a mental idea. That there are these massive, underground spaces isolated from the surface world."

"Randa believes that this island may be one of those," Miss San added on.

"An emergence point, for whatever lives below." Slipko looked pretty freaked out, but Mason just gave him a reassuring roll of her eyes and he seemed to be more relaxed.

"They were right," Gary said, "That is a crazy idea."

"You saw that thing," Brooks challenged, "I'm not sure if anything is crazy anymore. There could be more things like that, of course I thought Randa was out if his mind when he first mentioned it."

Slipko kept trying to call the other groups, "This is Slipko. Does anybody read me? We're headed north to the exit location. Everybody here seems way to calm."

"We're out of range Slipko," James said, "Save it for when we get closer to the group."

\------------------

They moved back into heavy jungle, and started to see what looked like building running start to emerge.

"Stay tight," James warned.

"What the hell is this?" Gary asked, nobody answered.

They were approaching what looked like a damaged door. Yellow patterns were painted all along the walls as they entered into a ruined circle of bricks. Mason focused her camera for a picture, but before she could get the shot a pair of eyes snapped open. She gasped and everyone started yelling as to what it was.

"James!" She called, he looked everywhere and his gun was up in a second.

In an instant more people emerged from the walls, their bodies painted with mud and the yellow paint. They were all holding spears and the group quickly formed a circle as the new people closed in. Guns up of course.

Suddenly a voice could be heard shouting from behind one of the walls, "Woah, woah, woah. No need for that, come on now."

An older man with a beard and wearing what appeared to be a leather flight jacket appeared before them.

"Let's keep our wigs on now." He said, smiling oddly.

They just stared at him as he put his hands on his hips and gestured for the spears to be lowered. They were.

"I didn't believe it when they said you were coming," the man continued, apparently oblivious to the groups confusion. "I was up all night just thinking about it. How me and Gungpai dreamed of this moment. Twenty eight years, eleven months, and eight failed attempts to get back to the world. And instead the world comes to me? Ain't that crap?" He laughed and looked around to his companions, "They never smile."

"Did you...crash here?" Mason asked.

"Oh sorry," the man told them, "Hank Marlow of the 45th." He saluted them, "Put the old flight suit on for ya."

Mason just nodded but James readjusted the hold on his gun. Marlow didn't seemed fazed though and continued.

"You are more beautiful than a hot dog, and a beer in Wrigely field, on opening day. Except your real. Right?"

"There's something out there man," Slipko said, sounding scared.

"Oh there's a lot out there," he told him, "Now come on, we gotta get home. You don't want to be out here at night."

He turned and after a look at each other, the group followed him uneasily.

\---------------

They were taken to a village with more of the yellow paint people that had circled them.

"As long as we stay in here where the people live we'll be alright." Marlow told them.

"That wall," Mason questioned, "Is that supposed to keep out that, thing?"

"Naw," Marlow said, "He's not the one they're trying to keep out."

Subconsciously Mason looked over at James. He answered her gaze, which did not go unnoticed by Gary.

As they walked Marlow explained more, "These people live up in the trees while we're down in the roots. Some of them don't even seem to age. There's no crime, no personal property, they're past all that."

Two people, a woman and a man, both with blue powder instead of yellow decorating them, approached with some guards. They analyzed the group before nodding there heads in silence. Marlow smiled and turned to them.

"Good news, they say you can shack up here."

"I didn't hear them say anything," James said. Mason sighed, he could be so stupid sometimes.

"They don't speak to much. You've been here as long as I have you start to understand. You'll see."

Nieves ran in front of Marlow and faced him, "Wait a minute, we can't stay here we have to get off the island we have lives, I have a life."

"Nieves," James said, "Now is not the time."

"What lands here tends to stay here."

They approached a huge ship, rusted and with may holes in it's Hull. They entered it and Marlow continued to talk.

"As far as I can tell this ship washed up at least ten years before I did. By the way what happened with the war? We win?"

"Which one?" Gary asked him and Marlow only grumbled.

"Well that makes sense." They continued deeper into the ship, "This is all hallow ground to them so if you like your hands don't touch anything."

They entered a large part of the hull. The natives who were in the room all rose as one and exited while the group came in. The holes in the hull helped illuminate the area, but there were some torches as well. 

"Wow," Mason whispered, "Look at that."

There were many boards sticking up near the sides of the room, and as Mason moved she was able to see different pictures taking place on them.

"The way they tell it," Marlow told them, "The people of this island lied in fear for thousands of years. That's a hell of a long time to be scared. And then one day the damnest thing happened. Some of the things that were attacking them started protecting them against the things that were eating them. But nothing lasts forever I guess."

A board picture of what looked like the giant ape that had attacked them was what they came to then. He looked to be mourning over two skeletons. Also giant apes. The last and largest picture was of the giant ape who had attacked them. 

"This is where they honor the last of their saviors," Marlow gestured to the painting, "Yeah. That's Kong. He's king around here, he's god to these people. Kong's a pretty good king, keeps to himself mostly. This is his home, we're just guests here. But you don't go into someones house and start dropping bombs unless you're picking a fight."

"Wasn't, Kong the one who killed your friend?" Mason asked him. Marlow's face got sad.

"No," His voice was hoarse, "One of them did." He gestured to another painting of a different creature. "Kong's god on the island but the devils live below us."

"And what are they called?" James questioned gravely.

Marlow's eyes danced around, "The Eiwees won't speak their names. But I call'em Skull Crawlers."

"Why?" James asked again.

"Cause it sounds neat," Marlow told him.

James just nodded and looked at Mason. She took a breath as if saying something then thought better about it. "Okay." 

"Look I just made that name up, I'm trying to scare ya."

"I'm fine calling them that," Mason told him and looked at James again, "Are you cool with that?"

"Yeah it doesn't really-"

"Look I've never said that out loud before it sounds stupid now that I say it. Look you guys call them whatever you want just-. You call em whatever you want." His tone got more serious again, "Big lizard things, nasty. They come from the vents, deep down. That's why Kong got so mad. Those bombs woke up a bunch of them. I tell you what you're lucky he's out there to or you wouldn't have made it this far. Crappy bastards, mean as hell. He can handle them as long as he gets to em while they're still small, but you don't want to wake up the big one."

"How big is it?" San asked.

"It's bigger. Wiped out his whole family. Kong's the last of his kind, but he's still growing, and you better hope he does. Cause once Kong goes, then the big one comes up. And then its goodnight Irene." Marlow laughed a nervous laugh. 

James looked around and then focused on Marlow, "Listen there's a refueling team coming to the north end of the island in three days."

"You should come with us," Mason told Marlow.

"To the north end of the island?"

"Yes," James told him with a smile, "You're going to get out of here."

Marlow was smiling as well, but then started lightly slapping James face. Everyone had various expressions of confusion written all over their faces.

"You can't get to the north end in three days," Marlow said sadly, walking away. Then he stopped and turned back around with a slow smile, "At least, not on foot."


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be warned, this chapter has a bit more suggestive/mature content. There isn't any smut but there is some violence.

"We were this close to getting her working," Marlow said as they walked, "Me and Gungpai were going to take off into the open sea. Then one of the things got him."

The small group of men walked up to a dock and stopped, looking out at a small boat. Marlow was obviously very proud as he said: "There she is."

Conrad frowned, "Well that's lovely."

"Damn right."

The group climbed aboard the boat and began looking around. 

"Does this thing even float?" He asked Marlow.

"Me and Gungpai spent six years of our lives building this thing. She's called the Grey Fox. She floats. Pulled the engine parts from my P-51 and his old zero. B-29 on the beach one day that was something."

Nieves was skeptical, "You got to be kidding me. This thing looks like its made out of pure tetanus." 

"I know she ain't pretty to look at, but its nothing a couple extra hands can't fix. Now unless you got a better idea I suggest we get cracking."

Conrad nodded, "Alright."

\------------------

Packard and his group of soldiers walked through the jungle, making their way to Chaplin's crash site. Packard glanced over his shoulder and did a double take. There was a huge, red hand print on one of the cliffs. He smiled and pointed at it with the barrel of his gun.

"Well would you look at that," he called to his men, "It bleeds. We did that. We hook up with Chaplin and there's enough munitions on that downed C-Stallion to finish the job."

He started walking again, and the rest of the group started following him, except Randa and Carl.

"You know why I carry this instead of an M-16?" Carl held up his gun to Randa. He shook his head, "Took it off a farmer. He surrendered right after we leveled his village, he was fifty years old said he'd never even seen a gun until we showed up. Sometimes, an enemy doesn't exist, until you go looking for one." Carl started to walk then, trying to catch up to the others.

"What happens when they show up on your doorstep?" Randa asked.

"I'll still have his gun!" Carl called, holding up the firearm as he walked away. 

"Best of luck with that soldier," Randa muttered more to himself than to Carl. He held up his injured hand to the hand print on the cliff and frowned.

\----------------------

Mason walked through the village with a brand new roll of film in her camera. She took many pictures of the village, and one group one where she had everyone hold up the two-fingered "peace" symbol. That one was easily her favorite. 

Back on the boat the guys were working; well, everyone except Nieves was working. 

"Alright," Conrad said, "We've got forty-eight hours to make it to the north shore. Slipko do you know what you're doing back there?"

Slipko was sitting in the engine part of the boat messing with some wires, only his head was visible. "Yeah my pops a mechanic. If I can't fix this he'll disown me." Everyone looked at him. "If he ever sees me again that is," he muttered more to himself.

"Hold the phone there Churchill," Marlow addressed Conrad, "Russia was our ally. Now you're saying we're at war with them?"

He considered for a moment, "It's more of a cold war."

"Cold war...what like they take the summers off?" Conrad wasn't quite sure how to answer that one. He saw Nieves just shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. "What about the Cubs? The Cubs win the world series yet?"

"Man the cubs?" Slipko told him, "Not even close. Were they ever good?"

Marlow was irritated, "That happens to be my team, where you from?"

"Detroit."

"The Tigers, woah, yeah did they win at all this year?"

Slipko paused, "Well no."

"Exactly my point." Marlow started muttering to himself about the two teams.

Slipko suddenly stood up to get a different tool and looked at Marlow, "Hey who do you think would win in a fight? A tiger or a cub?"

"A tiger would win," Slipko nodded enthusiastically, "Cause a cub is a baby bear. A full grown tiger can eat a baby bear." He pointed to his temple, "You gotta think it through."

"And we also," Nieves added, "Put a man on the moon."

"No kidding," Marlow looked up to the sky, "What'd they do just leave him up there? What's he eating?"

"Tang. Spam." Marlow nodded. 

Mason was walking back through the village when she saw the boat. San and Brooks had gone off to try and learn more things about the natives after the ship tour. She had no idea where Gary had gone, but the other guys in the group had followed Marlow. Mason walked to the boat and braced herself against one of the metal posts. 

"You boys doing alright?"

Slipko's voice came from by her feet, "You think the Tiger's are better than the Cubs right?"

Mason was taken aback, "Everyone's better than the Cubs."

She heard an exasperated sigh from the center of the boat and saw Marlow working with James. 

"Oh please-" Marlow started but James cut him off.

"No one is talking about the Cubs or the Tigers until we're on the mainland." Mason could hear Marlow grumbling under his breath at James.

"Hey Mason come help me with this," Slipko told her. She dropped down so her feet were dangling in the lower area where Slipko was and began handing and taking things when he asked her to. 

Mason found herself watching James work. He was very focused, and he looked more relaxed than she had seen him since first seeing him on the Athena. 

"What's it with the two of you?"

Mason looked down to see Slipko watching her watching James. She brushed a piece of her hair back behind her ear.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come one," he said, looking frustrated, "Its obvious something happened between you two, just spill already."

Mason hesitated, "It doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done."

Slipko squinted at her, "Not if you can change it." They looked at each other for a bit longer before he shoved a handful of sticks and grass up at her, "Throw this in the water, it's clogging my area."

\----------------------

The group was escorted into some kind of multi-level house. The room they settled in was decorated with lots of paintings of forests and the animals on the island. It was decorated as if Marlow had been occupying it since he had gotten to the island, which, Mason reminded herself, he probably had.

San and Brooks were standing off into a hallway talking, while Slipko put on some music and messed around with a spear. Flipping it around in his hands as he staked around the room. 

"What happened to swing?" Marlow was cutting off his beard, "Betty Gibson?"

"You're like a time traveler man," Slipko told him, "I'm telling you this is the new sound."

Mason had set up her tripod by the open wall of the house. She heard footsteps behind her but didn't look back. Just kept staring at the northern lights that were occupying the sky.

"Isn't it odd," James told her, "How the most dangerous places are always the most beautiful?"

"I'm trying to take a long exposure photograph but, my flashlight broke."

"Oh. Well here," James handed her a lighter, "Try this."

"Thank you," Mason said, taking it and adjusting the lens before taking the picture. She examined the lighter more thoroughly and saw the letters RAF printed on the side. "Royal Air Force?" She questioned.

"My father's, he threw it to me from the train as he rolled off to fight the Nazis." Mason looked at him, the look on his face was one that she had rarely seen, even when they were together, "He was like John Wayne to me. Some kind of mythic hero."

"Did he ever come back?" The pair turned and saw Slipko standing there, spear in hand. 

James shook his head, "His plane went down near Hamburg. They searched for months but.."

Mason just nodded and Slipko walked away. They stood like that for a bit longer, just looking at the lights.

"You never told me that."

James turned to her, "I'm telling you now." He paused, "What does it matter anyways Mason?" He walked away after that and she could hear the unspoken, "You made your choice" hanging in the air.

\--------------------

Mason found herself wandering through the hallways and other areas of the house they were in. She had left her camera in Marlow's main living area, and she felt oddly bare without it. She entered a room completely lit with candles on the ground. She gazed around in awe, her fingers itching to take a picture.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Mason nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around and taking a few steps back into the darker part of the room.

"Hey, hey!" The voice was Gary's, "It's just me."

Mason breathed a sigh of relief but didn't exactly relax, "Sorry, just still a bit on edge from today." She brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes.

Gary nodded, "That makes perfect sense to me." He moved a bit closer, and Mason found herself taking a step back farther into the darkness. he moved closer.

"They are pretty nice," She told him uneasily. He moved closer still and Mason bumped into a wall. She couldn't avoid it any longer, "Gary..."

"There's something I've been wanting to do ever since I met you Mason." And with that he was kissing her.

It was sloppy, and wet. Mason could feel his body pressed against hers, one hand in her hair and the other around her wrist. She froze for a second, then without thinking kissed him back. She tried to loose herself in the kiss, to keep in her mind that it was Gary kissing her and not a certain brown haired tracker. But she couldn't.

Mason broke the kiss and Gary smiled, going in for another. But with her free hand Mason stopped him.

"I'm sorry Gary," She told him, "I can't."

"It's because of him isn't it." There was zero emotion in his voice. If Mason was honest it kinda scared her.

"What are you-"

"Conrad," he was harsh now, "Or as you so fondly call him, James." he spit out the name like fire, Mason flinched, "I see the way you look at him, we all do. Well news flash for you woman, he doesn't love you, hell he can barely look at you."

"I'm leaving." Mason tried to move but he slammed her back against the wall.

Gary laughed a harsh laugh, "You're not going anywhere bitch, not till I say so."

He kissed her again, if you could call it that. It felt like someone was trying to eat a steak off of her face. Mason tried to bite his lip but the moment she opened her mouth a fraction of an inch he forced his tongue down her throat. Mason managed to bite his tongue then and he drew back with a cry. She attempted to bring her foot up to kick him in the crotch, but he seemed to have anticipated it and blocked her. She screamed as loud as she could then, and Gary grabbed a fistful of her hair, slamming her face against the wall. Her nose burst open in pain and she felt a warm substance flow down her chin and into her mouth. 

"You shut up or you'll regret it," he muttered into her ear, "I'm going to-"

But what exactly Gary planned to do to her Mason never found out, for at that moment she felt his body ripped from hers and she crumpled to the floor. Her head was still swimming from getting slammed against the wall but she was able to make out two bodies rolling around on the floor. A few punches were thrown and whoever was closest to the ground got their head slammed against the floor a few times. The victor stood up, giving the one on the floor a few kicks for good measure. They slowly made their way towards Mason and she tried to shimmy farther away from them. The person held up their hands and stopped walking.

"It's okay, it's me." Relief flooded through every part of Mason's body, "Can you walk?" James asked her. 

She shook her head, not trusting her knees. Realizing that he probably couldn't see her but he must have. For he scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her in an instant. He carried her back to the quarters they had been in before and Mason was aware that many people were shouting when they got there, mainly Slipko. James must have made them all leave though, because in the next minute it was silent and Mason was sitting on a bed. She pushed the hair out of her face, hearing a sharp intake of breath.

James's hand was on her face in a second, carefully angling it so he could see her nose better. He sucked in a breath.

"Oh what did that bastard do to you."

Mason tried to force a smile but it came out more like a lopsided grimace, "It's only my nose." 

James just kinda looked at her and started to clean up the blood, then carefully re-positioned her nose and sighed.

"There's really nothing we can do until we get back, but when we do you should get that checked out." He started to pace, and Mason knew that wasn't a good sign.

"James's..." She began, but he cut her off.

"What do you want to do to him? Personally I would like to tear him limb by limb and then just say that he was killed by a Skull Crawler but it's really your call..."

"Just look at me!" He stopped and did. Mason sighed, "How did we get like this?"

His eyes darkened, "I'm pretty sure you know the answer to that already."

And unfortunately, she did.

\---------Flashback, 8 months ago--------

"Do you have to get drunk every fucking time?!" Mason was screaming now, he never did like it when she screamed, he didn't like to make her mad. It was magnified as well in the state he was in.

"I don't-"

"I am so sick of just coming home to you passed out or worse, god knows where with god knows who, possibly getting killed or arrested or into fights."

"Mason just listen-"

"NO!" She was breathing hard now, "It's me or the booze James, chose now."

"Mason-"

"Look at me!!" He did. For the first time in the evening he actually did look at her. Her hair was a mess, clothes rumpled and a wild look in her eyes. Desperation, sadness, anger, love, worry, he saw it all in her eyes. The tears. He saw the tears streaming down her face, "I can't do this anymore. I thought you were dead tonight, and you very nearly were! Choose James, now."

He didn't say anything, just looked at her and stumbled a bit. James laid down on the couch and how long he was there for he wasn't sure. But he knew it was long enough for Mason to pack her things in the apartment and fix her hair. He could still see her as he stumbled to his feet, bag in hand, necklace around her neck, the ring he had bought her still hanging from its chain. She was crying even more then, and she looked to him one last time. As if she was hoping he would say he would give up drinking and be with her. He didn't say anything though.

And then she was gone, the door slamming behind her as the rain began. He had tried to follow her, but tripped on a piece of loose carpet and passed out, not waking up till the next morning. 

\--------------------

They were sitting by each other on the bed now. Mason carefully brushed her fingers against his. They didn't touch any further though. 

"I quit," She looked at him, "Drinking. It was hard at first, but I did it."

Mason nodded, "Good." Silence, "I don't hate you. I never hated you really, I was just mad."

"I know," He told her, "And you had every right to be. After you left," He shook his head, "I couldn't take it. Almost buried myself in vodka, then I remembered how much you hated it, the drinking. Figured it wouldn't do any harm to try, so I did. And here we are."

Mason nodded and tucked her hair over her shoulder. Conrad caught sight of something around her neck and a hint of a smile played on his lips. Mason noticed.

"What?" She asked in a joking voice.

He just laughed, "I can't believe that you kept it."

Mason looked down to her neck, "Couldn't bring myself to get rid of it somehow."

At that moment there was a knock on the door and they both looked towards it.

"By the way," Mason whispered quickly, "What's my cover story?"

"Said you didn't look where you were going and ran right into a wall." Mason knocked him in the head. 

"You had to make me clumsy?" She whisper yelled, but Conrad was already at the door and opening it. Slipko was standing there. He looked over to Mason.

"You alright Miss Clumsy?" Mason nodded. Slipko grinned, "You and San have a room down the hall..or whatever they call them here."

"Alright Slipko, thanks." With a final glance at Conrad she left, going to get some much needed sleep.


	5. Part 5

Carl walked past where Mills was trying to get some sleep on the ground, "Mills, quit dinking around. I'm going on perimeter."

Randa walked over to where Packard sat staring into the fire they had made. He sat across from him on a rock.

"Kernel Packard, this mission to the crash site, is folly. I understand going after your man. But the rest of it.." Packard looked up at him, "This is beyond us."

"You don't like how I'm running things?" Randa didn't answer, "You know where the door is. You set this in motion when you put this place on the map, and I will not cut and run. I know an enemy when I see it."

\-------------------

The next morning the group got up early, joining Marlow at the grave site of his friend.

"This man's name was Gungpai Atari. If you take away the uniforms, and the war. He became my brother. And we swore we'd never leave each other behind." He stood and pulled the samurai sword from the mound. "Let's get off this island."

The group worked as quickly as they could on the boat, and Nieves (a little trigger happy) started to try and start up the motor. A shout was heard from the engine area.

"Ow hey!" Slipko yelled, climbing out with a handmade hammer, "Not yet!"

The group started to try and start the engine, and with last minute fixes by Slipko, they got it started. Shouts of joy and laughter could be heard for the first time since getting attacked by Kong. 

"Hey does anyone know where Gary went?" Slipko asked, "He wasn't there when I woke up."

"He can come now or just stay here," Marlow said, "We can't afford to waste anymore time."

The Eiwees stood on the bank watching them and Marlow stood up on the stern, saying his goodbye. Mason took a last minute photo of the standing there. She caught Marlow's shoulder in the corner of the frame. 

The boat made good time, and James continued to stay up on the stern, gun strapped to his back. Mason joined him up there for a few minutes, placing her hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her and patted her hand once. They smiled at each other. Mason joined Slipko at the back of the boat and he smirked. 

"What'd you two make out or something now?" Mason glanced to where James was standing, now with Nieves. 

"No." She answered stubbornly.

"And Gary?" She was aware that Slipko was watching her closely, "I know he was interested in you, did Conrad beat him up or something?"

Mason looked to James again, "Gary got what he deserved."

She saw that James had switched with Marlow at steering and she went to stand beside him as Slipko climbed up on the roof. Marlow started talking.

"I got a wife. Had a wife? Have a wife? Guess I don't know anymore." He held up a picture of her, "I got hitched right before I deployed, got a telegram from her the day before I got shot down said 'we just had our baby boy'. I got a son out there, grown man I've never met."

"Yeah she definitely thinks you're dead man," Slipko called from the roof of the boat.

"Hey," James reached up and smacked the roof with his hand.

"I'm just saying." Marlow looked a bit more put out.

"You don't know that," James told him with a comforting tone, "You'd be surprised how long people wait."

"Eh truth is I don't expect her to be waiting," Marlow said, "I'd be fine either way. I just want one last chance to see him."

"We're gonna get you home," Mason told him. 

The transmitter suddenly crackled to life, Slipko jumped. "Fox five come back, is there anyone out there?"

"Hey this is fox five," Slipko said urgently, picking up the receiver, "We hear you. Yeah. We're on a boat, on a boat headed up north river."

"A boat? How'd ya'll get a boat?"

"We met this like crazy, Santa Claus, time-traveler guy from WWII you'll meet him."

"What kind of a boat you guys got?"

"It's more of a plane than a boat really, it's called a ploat. We're on a ploat."

"We need their location Slipko," James called up to the younger man. 

"Hey send up a flare so we can find you." 

"Roger that fox five."

In the next few seconds a flare appeared directly in front of the boat's course. Everyone chuckled in excitement. 

"Alright we have a visual, two clicks to our north."

"Roger that fox five, fox one out."

Slipko leaned back and threw his arms up in the air, "Yessssss!"

At that moment some kind of bird thing swooped out of nowhere and plucked Nieves from the front of the boat. His screams mixed with those of the ones still on board. Both James and Slipko were up in an instant, pointing their guns to the sky. But it was hopeless, even Mason knew that much. The pair slowly lowered their guns as the rest of the group joined them on the front area of the boat. 

"He's gone," James told them, "Everyone pack your gear, we have to keep moving. We'll go to shore and meet up with Packard."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Brooks yelled, "Is no one gonna say anything about-"

"There's nothing to say!" Marlow told him, "He's gone and he ain't coming back."

Mason noticed that James still stood in his place, not moving like the others had. She walked a bit closer and put one hand on his arm and the other on his shoulder. She and she alone had known about the constant nightmares and flashbacks that were a part of his life. It was the sole thing that had driven him to drinking, as he tried to get the images out of his head. 

She wasn't sure if he had ever succeeded. 

Slowly she rubbed circles on his shoulder blade with her fingertips while keeping two fingers on his pulse. It steadily slowed and he breathed out a long breath. He placed a hand on hers and she slowly withdrew, walking away as if nothing had happened. 

The group eventually made it to the meeting area, a small stream where Marlow kneeled down to fill his canteen. Mason sat by Slipko on a log, carefully examining her camera. James passed her once, slightly brushing his fingertips on her shoulder. She couldn't help the small smile that crept over her lips. A silent thank you.

Slipko noticed her smile and raised an eyebrow. She shook her head in a joking manner. He looked over at where James was standing by the creek.

"Their flare was only two clicks away, they should be here soon."

"Unless they were eaten by something that's bigger than us," Mason muttered to herself.

There was a lot of creaking suddenly from the forest behind them, and Slipko jumped up with a smile on his face. A chorus of, "Hey Slipko" and more filled the air as he jumped up and ran over to his friends. They embraced and Mason smiled wider. He sure had missed them.

Randa came over and shook Brooks hand in a greeting, Packard and James did the same thing. 

"What's the count?"

"About 13," Packard answered, "That's all I got."

"We lost one too." James looked grim.

Marlow stood and walked over to Packard, "Good to see you fellas."

"Who the hell is this?"

"Picked up a hitchhiker," James told him.

"Lieutenant Hank Marlow of the 45th pursuit squadron of the 15th." He grinned.

Packard looked stunned, "You've been here since world war two?"

"Yes sir," Marlow answered, "I miss the parade?"

"I'll be damned."

"We're gonna get him home sir," James told Packard, "We follow this river we'll get back to the boat and make it to the north shore in time."

"That sounds good," Packard adjusted his gloves, "But we're not leaving yet. Still got a man out there Conrad."

"Wait a second you've got someone out there?"

"Chaplin. He's with the downed C-Stallion just west of here."

"West!?" Marlow cried, "We can't go west! That's where those skull things live. We have an old saying here: East is best west is worse. That's why we say it! You know south-west...we can talk about that, but-you're gonna need a lot more guns if we go west."

Mason stood up, "Guys. I think we should listen to Marlow. This is crazy."

James looked lost in thought. 

"Hey," Packard told him, "Your job is finding lost men, right?"

James debated, "Alright sir." Mason sighed. "But if we reach that position and he's not there we don't send out a search party. We come back to the boat. In twenty-four hours we need to be on the other side of this island."

"Roger that," Packard told him, "Hear you loud and clear. Move out in ten."

Marlow started talking to the soldiers, "You are a good group of boys. We're all gonna die together out here, you know that? You're a good group of boys to die with."

James walked past where Mason was sitting on the log once again. "You going to tell me this is a bad idea?"

Mason didn't look up from her camera, "This is a bad idea."


	6. Part 6

The group walked through the forest and came to a barren hill. There were plenty of oddly shaped objects sticking up from the ground that looked like bones. Mason took a quick picture. And if she and Slipko stayed relatively close to James once they entered that area, no one could tell you.

The group came to the edge of a cliff overlooking a large pit. There was no grass at all in the pit, and to Mason's best guess it was at least a mile wide, maybe more. There was a strange greenish gas that floated all over, and there were huge skeletons dotting the barren landscape.

"Smell that?" Marlow said, "That's death."

"What the hell is this place?" One of the soldiers asked, Mason didn't know his name.

"This is what's left of Kong's parents."

Mason could barely breath for the smell, "I've taken enough photos of mass graves to know what one looks like."

"Crash spot's just on the other side of this valley," Packard told them, "We'll cross and make it to the highest point west."

Marlow was furiously shaking his head, "Uh, uh. This place is a huge no-no zone."

"We need to be going to the north side right now," A panicked Woodword said in a fast voice.

"And you're welcome to do that my man," Packard called harshly, "By yourself!" Woodword didn't answer. "I'm not leaving Jack out there. Now who's with me?"

"We can make it," James muttered. But even he sounded unsure.

"Mighty right we can make it. Now stay sharp, keep an eye out."

The group started to figure out a way to get down the cliff, but not before Mason heard Marlow mutter, "I've only been here 28 years what do I know?"

\----------------------

They walked cautiously through the mist, guns up and ready at any sign of movement. Randa had a less professional camera than Mason and was taking pictures of the bones. Mason didn't even bother to lift her own camera, she never wanted to remember this place.

"Carl," Mills told his buddy, "We don't got time for that man put the cigarette out."

Carl just gave him a look and flicked his already lit cigarette out into the dirt. The gas was ignited by the ash of the butt and a momentary flame erupted.

"Watch those fumes!" Randa called out, continuing to take pictures. "Idiots."

The group continued through the graveyard, Packard calling at them to hurry it up. Suddenly a sound that was like a low growl came through the air. Everyone froze.

"Run!"

They scattered as quickly as possible, a group of soldiers hiding in a skull while Mason, James, Marlow, and Slipko crouched down behind some smaller bones sticking out of the ground. The Skull Crawler (at least Mason thought it was a Skull Crawler, she couldn't see anything), came between the two bones where she and James were hiding behind. The thing sounded like it was choking and a skull fell to the ground with something metal through it.

Dog tags.

The thing choked once again and withdrew, stalking off away from the group. Mason breathed a sigh of relief and they slowly stood up, the soldiers coming out of the skull as well.

"Alright!" Packard called out, "Everyone rally and stay together. Let's move!"

At that moment Mason heard a small, "oh shit" before a gun started going off and the thing roared again.

"Randa!" Brooks called out, alerting the others who the victim had been. Slipko continued firing until the Skull Crawler was out of sight, and Brooks cocked his shotgun.

"Set up the fifty!" Packard called, and a soldier hurried to set up a huge gun on top of one of the skulls.

Everyone stood in eerie silence, guns up and ready. A small slicing sound came from Marlow, who had pulled his Samurai sword from it's holder and held it in a fighting stance above his head. They stood in a circle, the only alert of where the Skull Crawler was coming from the camera Randa had been holding, still going off inside the creature.

"Fumeiyo no mae no shi"

It was silent for one whole minute. One minute that seemed to last an eternity, and then, all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The translation of the Japanese is "Death before Dishonor"


	7. Part 7

The Skull Crawler ran straight for Marlow, but he managed to get out of the way in time. The group scattered with screams and the thing ate the soldier that had been firing the 50 gun, knocking the gun and skull over in the process.

The Skull Crawler then focused its sights on Mason, and she ran as fast as she could while the others fired continually at the monster. She dove under a bunch of bones lower to the ground and covered her head while the Skull Crawler tried to force it's mouth through the openings between the bones. Suddenly the Skull Crawler was engulfed in flames, and Mason found her way from under the bones, getting up and running. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to get away from the thing and the fire.

The fire cut off abruptly as the man who was controlling the flame thrower got thrown through the air by the Skull Crawler's tail. The skull he got thrown into exploded as the flame thrower did, and Mason saw Slipko get thrown around as well.

"Slipko!" She cried, just as she heard James call out: "Gas!"

The gas canisters exploded in a dark green, and it set off a bunch of more prehistoric looking birds with claws and mean teeth. The soldiers did their best at fighting them off, but Mason saw many go down as they were attacked. Somehow James managed to get to Slipko, and Mason started running to them as he heaved Slipko's arm around his neck and the younger man started to gain consciousness. The Skull Crawler was nearly upon them when Mason reached James and Slipko, taking James's lighter from her pocket; opening and throwing it into the gas that was naturally in the cavern.

The gas exploded in a shower of flames, and the already weakened Skull Crawler let out one last desperate roar, before collapsing and burning to a crisp.

\------------------------

The group managed to get out of the cavern, those who were left at least. Slipko seemed to have injured his leg a bit, and his arm was slung across James's shoulder in support. They reached the other side of the cavern and paused for a rest. Marlow started speaking.

"Look here kernel, you may out rank me, but I've been here a hell of a lot longer. And I'm telling you that thing that just shredded us was just the beginning. Now we're on their terf, and we need to turn back! Tote sweet!" Packard just stared at him with death in his eyes.

"I'm not leaving," Packard commanded, "Not as long as Jack's still out there!"

"I'm sorry Kernel Packard," James said, sounding truly sorry, "Chaplin is dead." He held up the dog tags that he had pulled from the skull the Skull Crawler had hacked up.

Packard looked at the tags for at least half a minute, then shook his head. "Doesn't change a thing! We're still going to that crash site!"

"What's at that crash site you want so badly?" James asked, he sounded like he was getting fed up.

"Weapons! Enough to kill it." He gestured to the sky with his gun.

"Kong didn't kill Chaplin."

"No. But he did kill these men," He held up a fist full of dog tags, "My men!"

"You can't kill Kong kernel, Kong's king around here! He's the only thing keeping them lizard things in the ground!" Marlow sounded shocked that someone would even suggest such a thing.

"He's right kernel," Brooks added, "You can't kill Kong, now that other creature. That's the threat. And there are more of them down there. If you take away a species natural competition they'll perforate out of control!"

"Then we'll end them too! After we bring this thing down."

Marlow seemed to have had enough, and he threw off his bag, pulling the sword from it's holster and bringing it inches from Packard's face. All of the other soldiers, except Slipko, raised their guns in an instant and pointed them at Marlow. Calls of: "Hold on a minute" and "Hold your fire!" echoed through the small clearing.

Packard knocked away Marlow's sword with the barrel of his gun and punched him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. "This is one war, we are not going to loose!" He called out to his men.

Marlow held his side and called from the ground, "Nuts! You hear me!? This is nuts!"

"Please!" San called from Brooks side, "You have to listen to us!"

"We're not at war Kernel you're making a mistake." Packard pointed his gun at Brooks.

"You're liars got my men killed!"

"And you're gonna get us all killed." Packard shifted the gun to point at Mason.

James grabbed her far wrist and pushed her backwards behind him, "Not our fight." He said to her. Mason didn't back down.

"Whose side are you on captain?" Packard still had the gun trained on Mason, and he was staring at her with a fierce intensity.

"Okay kernel," James told him, "We'll find you a C-Stallion three clicks up that ridge. Now I'm going to take these civilians" - he gestured to Brooks and San - "Back to the boat and we'll wait for you there. Alright?" He held up his hands in a surrender stance and kept looking at the kernel, praying to whatever god was listening that he wouldn't shoot Mason.

After a few more agonizing seconds Packard lowered his gun and looked to his men. "Saddle up," he said, "Let's go kill this thing. Steve? You running with the big dogs or staying on the porch?"

Woodword readjusted his gun and muttered to himself, "Well I don't want to be on the porch." He followed the soldiers.

James helped Marlow up, "Marlow you okay?"

"We need to stop him," the older man said, re-positioning his bag.

"You wanna talk about it with him again? He really seemed to go for it the first time."

James didn't even glance at her, "He's loosing his grip." The group of civilians walked through the odd trees in a single file line while James called over his shoulder, "Follow me and we'll get off this rock alive."

\----------------------

James kneeled by a log where mushrooms were growing. He looked around. "There's water close by."

"Are we lost?" Brooks asked him, leaning against a tree for a rest, "Which way?"

Mason watched him carefully, he seemed to be weighing his options. James stood, "Wait here. I've got to get to high ground to see where the river is."

He walked a few steps ahead and Mason called out, running after him, "Hey wait up! I'm coming to."

Marlow cocked a handgun he had in his jacket, sitting on a log. "I'll be right here." He looked at Brooks and San, "Keep your eyes open. Up in the trees to."

"Why?"

"Ants. Big ones." A bird call rang through the forest at that moment and Marlow grinned, "There's one of them. Sounds like a bird but it's a fucking ant."

\-------------------

Packard and what was left of his unit came to the crash site. "Gather up everything you can," Packard told them. "Including those seismic charges. They got his attention the first time."

\-------------------

Night had fallen by the time Mason and James made their way up the cliff, hauling themselves up over rocks and eventually coming to stand on a flat spot clear of any trees. The fog blocking their view cleared and the river was right in front of them. Mason did not see the boat.

James must have been thinking the same thing, "The boat must be around that bend." He told her, pointing at a dark turn in the water.

Mason raised her camera and snapped a picture. The two stayed like that for several more minutes, catching their breath before they had to climb back down again. Suddenly a much heavier breath came through the area, and out of the dark walked Kong. Mason backed up and grabbed James's wrist, both of them looking at the beast in front of them.

Mason, after taking a steadying breath, walked slowly towards the giant and placing her hand against his nose. The ape looked confused at first, his eyes going crazy and looking in all directions, but he didn't push her away. Mason withdrew her hand and went to stand beside James again.

The peacefulness was broken by an explosion, followed by two more. Kong turned towards teh fire and roared, showing his teeth. James took her arm.

"We have to go," She looked at him, "Now." His voice was urgent and they practically flew down the cliff, making their way to the group. Brooks jumped up and pointed his gun at them.

"Don't shoot!"

Brooks lowered his gun in relief, "Conrad, which way we going?"

"You three need to go back to the boat. It's that way." He pointed, "Wait for us there until dawn. If we're not back by then, just go."

"Don't have to twist my arm." Brooks stood up and started to walk, San walking behind him. Marlow looked at them.

"Where are you two doing?"

James looked at Mason for a moment, then at Marlow. "We're going to save Kong."

Marlow smiled, "Not without me pal."


	8. Part 8

The few remaining men of Packard's unit (plus Woodword), stood on the banks of a huge lake, guns at the ready. They were all scared, though no one admitted anything. 

Soon the huge ape burst through the trees where the explosions had come from and stepped into the lake. He stared down the soldiers for at least a minute, and then he pounded his fists against his chest, let out a giant roar, and started to come at the soldiers. When he got close enough Packard threw the torch he had been holding into the lake, and the water went up in flames around the king. The rag-tag group had poured barrels and barrels of oil into the lake an hour or so earlier. 

Everyone leaned backward because of the heat, and Slipko slowly lowered his weapon as Kong started to get burned by the flames. Everyone else seemed to have done the same, and they all had varying looks of sadness on their faces. Packard however, was smiling like Christmas had come early.

Without warning Kong burst out of the fire ring, and flung the burning water towards the men. He was at least ten times angrier than he had been before and all of the men turned and ran away from the lake. Woodword got crushed by the beast's foot and screams erupted from the ones who had gotten burned. 

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Kong's eyes closed and he swayed a bit before tipping over and his huge body came crashing to the ground.

"Men!" Packard called to the remaining soldiers, "Place your charges. It's time to show Kong that man, is king."

Slowly, the men placed their explosives next to the beast's downed body and activated them. Packard held the detonator, and as he got ready to press the button that would set off the bombs a shout rang through the meadow.

"Packard!"

Conrad ran into the clearing, Mason close behind, and he pointed his gun at Packard. The other soldiers raised their guns to point at Conrad and Mason. Slipko barely raised his to point at Mason. He knew that if he threatened her there was a very good chance Conrad would surrender, but did he have the heart to do it?

"Don't do it." He said in a calmer voice. Marlow came up behind and Pointed his handgun at Slipko while holding the Samurai sword to Mills's throat. 

"I asked you fellas nice the first time," Marlow said, and Slipko changed the position of his gun to point at the older man.

Conrad continued, "We don't want a fight here Packard."

"This thing brought us down it killed my men!"

"Kong was just defending his territory."

"We. Are soldiers! We do the dirty work, so our families and our countrymen don't have to be afraid. They shouldn't even know that a thing like this exists!"

Conrad shook his head, "You've lost your mind. Now put that detonator down."

Packard walked closer to him, until Conrad's gun was a foot from his chest. Slipko was breathing heavy out of nervousness, and he was shaking with nerves and shame. Packard pressed the pre-set button on the detonator, daring Conrad to shoot him.

"You have to stop!" Mason said to Packard, "The world is bigger than this."

"Bitch please!" He looked over his shoulder, "Slipko! Get her out of there."

Slipko sucked in a breath and momentarily shut his eyes, he shifted to point his M16 at Mason. Marlow was staring at him, "You know it's the wrong thing to do son."

There was a moment of hesitation, and then Slipko turned. 

"Put it down sir." 

He was pointing his gun at Packard. The Kernel had murder in his eyes and reached for his sidearm. 

"Packard!" Conrad cried. He didn't pull the sidearm. All the other men lowered their weapons, including Marlow. "Come on. It's over." He sounded tired. 

At that moment a tremendous boom swept through the air. The water in the center of the water exploded in a huge wave and a Skull Crawler emerged from the earth, screaming in happiness. 

"That's the big one," Marlow said, sounding shocked. 

Conrad lowered his gun, "Fall back. Go!" Everyone took off, except Mason; who hesitated a split second before running, glancing over her shoulder once or twice to make sure James was following them. 

Conrad and Packard were the only ones left, and Conrad tried to reach him through his shock. "Kernel! Sir!" Knowing it was hopeless, he ran, leaving Packard on the bank alone. 

Packard looked at the Skull Crawler slowly approaching him, then at Kong. He activate the detonator as Kong's eyes opened and he started to get up. 

"Die you mothfuc-" Kong slammed his fist down on Packard, squashing him to a pancake.

\-------------------

Conrad was running with the others when he realized a certain someone was missing. He looked around the group wildly.

"Where's Mason?" He yelled, no one answered him but Slipko, who pointed over his shoulder, and continuing running with the others. He cursed and turned around, hoping that she wasn't to far behind.

\-------------------

Up on the hill, Mason stopped running and turned while raising her camera. She had a perfect view of the fight, and the Skull Crawler screamed, jumping on top of Kong and then looking around. It focused perfectly on Mason somehow and she was fascinated. 

She felt something grab her around her waist and lift her up. She let out a yelp and was carried a few steps before being set down.

"Kong's down let's go!" James called to her, and Mason grabbed his outstretched hand, racing through the trees as they caught up to the others.

\--------------------

Brooks paced back and forth as the sun peaked over the horizon. 

"They told us to leave at dawn." San called to him.

"I know."

"It's dawn."

"I know!"

"So what are we going to do?!"

Brooks braced himself on the shell encasing the boat, trying to weigh the odds.

\------------------

The group of survivors ran through the trees, making it to the river panting. There was no boat. The group looked all around anxiously, but it was useless.

"This is the edge of the island," James said, "Mason. Get up on those rocks and fore a flare. With any luck Brooks will see you." A roar came from behind them and they both spun around, then looked at each other. James nodded at her, "We'll buy you time." Mason nodded very fast, and then did something she hadn't ever thought she'd do again. 

Mason kissed him.

She had one hand half on his neck and cheek, the other hanging limp at her side. In instinct, he automatically went to hold her waist, pressing their bodies together. It was a kiss that was sweaty and gross, and they both had horrible breath. It was smelly and disgusting to the everyday person and half a dozen people were watching them. 

But it was perfect. 

They broke apart after about ten seconds, both panting and staring into the others soul. Mason turned and ran towards the rocks, James looking at her running, then turned and saw everyone else staring at him. He ignored them.

"This way."

The group started to run towards the water as the Skull Crawler burst through the trees about a half mile away. Slipko gave Conrad an odd smile and whispered to him: "I knew it."

The men clambered through the water. Carl stayed on the bank however, dropping his gun. Mills turned around.

"Carl, come on man we gotta go."

Carl just smiled at him, "Go live your life, get out'a here."

He turned around and faced the oncoming Skull Crawler, taking out two grenades and pulling the pins. Mills started to run as well as he could through the water, shouting at his friend. Conrad grabbed him by his pack though and pulled him back. Carl walked closer to the Skull Crawler, holding out the grenades above his head, challenging the thing to eat him. It was smart though, and stopped walking as Carl started to tremble in fear of what he had done. The Skull Crawler flicked it's tail, sending Carl careening through the air and slamming his body into a cliff as the grenades went off. It took two men to drag Mills through the water, while he cried for his friend.

\-----------------

Mason climbed the cliffs as well as she could, trying to make it to the top in time to fire a flare, hoping against hope that James and the other's were still alive. 

Back in the water the Skull Crawler continued to chase after the small group, and right before he caught them Kong flew through the air, slamming a rock right onto the monster's head, knocking it in to the ground and buying the group some time. 

The thing snapped it's jaws closed around Kong's neck, and the king struggled, finally gaining some traction and lifting the Skull Crawler from it's open jaws, snapping many bones with very loud pops. He slammed the thing against the rock and then they tumbled around in the water. 

Mason made it to the top of the cliff, and seeing the scene below her pulled the flare gun, pointed it directly in the air, and fired. 

The creatures continued to fight, and somehow Kong ended up on his back in the wreckage of a ship, he tried to get up but the chains from the anchor were wrapped around his body, preventing him from moving or getting free. The big one slowly climbed on top of Kong and, as if enjoying the kill, slowly started to place his mouth over the ape's head. He was close to biting off Kong's head, when the fire from a huge gun hit him in the neck. 

The boat had come back.


	9. Part 9

Brooks continued to fire rapidly at the Skull Crawler while the other men climbed aboard. Brooks ran out of ammunition and called over his shoulder.

"Marlow a little help here!?"

"She's temperamental, watch out!" Marlow pushed him aside and started to reload the gun as the Skull Crawler continued to approach the boat. San started to go in reverse. 

Mason saw the boat about to get swallowed and reloaded the flare gun, aiming for the Skull Crawler and firing, landing the cartridge in it's eye socket. The thing stopped, confused, and then the flare exploded, knocking the Skull Crawler off course. Marlow finished loading the gun then, and started firing again. 

Conrad had stayed off the boat and muttered under his breath, "Come on you bastard." He took off, and the big one seemed to prefer moving prey, changed course and started to chase Conrad instead. 

Kong broke free and lugged one of the chains (attached to a propeller) in front of him, sinking it deep into the big one's back. It let out a cry. Kong flipped the Skull Crawler over and removed the propeller from it's back, then sliced the creature's neck open with the propeller, ending it's life. As a last hoorah, Kong flung the Skull Crawler's body through the air and into a cliff.

It happened to be the cliff that Mason was standing on.

Mason let out a scream as she was thrown through the air, landing hard in a deeper part of the water and sinking below the waves. Conrad started running to the place he had seen her go under, but he knew that he would be to late even if he managed to pull her body up from the waves. However, that didn't stop him from running. 

Kong took two steps and knelt down, reaching into the water where Mason had fallen and felt around for her tiny body. He found her and picked her up, letting the water run from his hand before setting her down lightly on the shore. 

Conrad finally reached her, grabbing Mason's camera on the way; it had flown off her body when she had fell. He knelt down beside Mason, leaning over her limp body and taking her head in his hands and shaking her lightly, trying to wake her up. 

"Please," he whispered frantically, hoping against hope she would wake up, "Hey, hey, hey."

Mason's eyes snapped open in that moment and she shook, making a choking sound. Conrad had one hand on the back of her head and the other went around her waist and her back as she snapped into a sitting position and threw up the water she had swallowed. She continued to cough and tried to lay back down but he stopped her, carefully bringing her back up to a sitting position. 

"You're okay," he told her, carefully rubbing circles into her cheek. "You're okay." Conrad found that his breathing evened out as her eyes cleared and she stopped coughing, starting to breath normally again.

They turned and looked at Kong, who was bleeding but very much alive. Mason reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, and warmth spread through his body at the relief that she truly was alright. With a final glance at the two of them, Kong gave what might have been mistaken as a dip of his chin, and walked away. The couple turned to look at each other, and Mason slowly put her arms around Conrad. He did so as well, and they hugged each other tightly, both afraid to let go.

\-----------------

James watched Marlow, quietly sitting and looking at the picture of his wife. The entire boat was silent, but for the first time it was a good, comfortable silence. Mason was sitting on top of a box, propped against some bamboo poles.

James looked at her, "This place will change. Word will get out. It always does."

"Well it's not coming from us," Mason told him softly. She smiled at him, and he smiled back the first real smile he had smiled in a long time. 

Marlow started to sing a slow song that Mason didn't recognize, and seeing Marlow's thoughtful expression, she slowly raised her camera for one last picture. 

Mason stood up and walked to the front of the boat where Mills, Slipko, and one other soldier were standing. She was just close enough to catch the remnants of their conversation. 

"What do you think fellas?" Mills asked the other two, "This way to Key West?"

They smiled at some kind of inside joke and Slipko answered, "I think it is brother."

The three of them left as Mason took her place on the deck, Slipko giving her a knowing smile and small pat on the shoulder as a "congratulations" sort of thing. At least that's what she figured. 

After a minute James joined her. He stood right next to her and as the telltale sounds of helicopters started to come through the storm, he slowly reached out and took her hand in his. She responded silently, threading her fingers through his and turning to look at him. Like always he answered her gaze, and they smiled at each other. Then looked out once again at the approaching choppers, knowing that they were going to be facing a shitload of complications once they were back to the boat. But in that moment neither was very worried. 

For nothing could hurt them as long as they had each other.


	10. Part 10 - Post Credit Scene

"You're just going to sit there. In the dark. You're enjoying this right. Is this fun for you?" James was standing with his arms crossed, talking to the one way glass before them. They were both still wearing the clothes they had on the island. As soon as they had gotten off the ship they were escorted with bags over their heads to the room they were in now. Neither had been given a thing to eat or drink, and they had received no medical assistance or even been offered a shower.

Mason just sighed, "James, why are you talking to the glass?" He didn't answer her.

"I promise I won't tell the Russians."

"I promise I will tell the Russians," Mason retorted almost immediately, she was only being half sarcastic.

"She's gonna tell the Russians." James turned around and walked back over to his seat, sitting down next to Mason. He was obviously at the end of his rope. 

James threw the pen next to the paperwork that had been in the room when they came in at the window. It bounced off harmlessly. "Why are you keeping us here?"

"I want to go home." Mason had venom in her voice.

"We get it," James said, "There was no island we were never on an island." As soon as the word "island" left his mouth the door leading into the room (which they had already tried several ties to get open), opened with a click. 

"Island? What island?" In walked Brooks and San, both fresh and clean. Mason itched just thinking about a shower and got mad even more.

"Brooks what the hell is going on?!"

He just threw up his hands, "Welcome to Monarch." James laughed curtly. "This island, is just the beginning." He pulled out a file and started taking out pictures of explosions, maps, what else Mason couldn't see.

"There's more out there," San added.

"What do you mean?" Yup, he was at the end of his rope for sure, "More?"

"This world never belonged to us," Brooks said, sounding exactly like Randa, "It belonged to them, the question is how long until they take it back?" A projector started up, "Kong. Is not the only king."

A screen showing men in a mine shaft appeared with the words: Section 8, Additional Threats. Wall paintings of a huge lizard hybrid were showed, along with a pterodactyl, then a huge moth fossil. Paintings of dragons and mythical creatures from fairy tales. And skulls, which Mason thought could only symbolize death. 

Mason and James slowly turned to look at each other, both with varying degrees of horror on their faces. Mason took his hand under the table and turned to San and Brooks.

"Why us?"


End file.
